The next evolution in airport dining

[Jenise]

Interesting article. Haven't seen anything like this at the airports I frequent yet, but wow what an improvement over what I'm used to.

http://www.eater.com/2016/6/28/11996892/airport-restaurants-newark-otg

I have noticed a steady improvement in the airport dining options over the past 10 or so years, and really taking off within the past 5 years. Something I wholeheartedly embrace!

(Admittedly this experience limited to US and W Europe)

The newish SFO terminal is pretty amazing in this regard, as I recall. And Paul Kahan's One Off Hospitality is opening a branch of Publican in ORD -- which would stand a greater chance than almost anything else I can imagine of getting me to use ORD more than MDW (but it still won't do the trick).

a grumpy old man says:

So, the most important thing, the only point highlighted in the first paragraph is

The "company that put iPads in airports" — a now-widespread innovation that allows a diner to sit down and order via iPad, all with little human interaction because that's what we really want, never mind the food or being able to quiz a waitron, bring on the ipad...

but then

I wanted to do a fun twist on dim sum yeah, because the ancient tradition of dim sum, understood by diners, is what? Too difficult to do properly?

But the chef thought it needed a bit more salt what a surprise! Still, it'll get passengers buying even more drinks.

or even pork belly, gosh, you'd go even that far? Just like every other mass caterer! Obviously nothing to do with being able to precook it and serve really fatty cheap meat at a premium?

My, my, someone is quite skilled at "grumpy"!

I'm glad to have read this article but the gee-whiz peppy-cheerful verbiage does not match my experience very well. Terminals are still places of locked doors, worn carpets, hard seats, few electrical outlets, stores full of either tourist junk or national hoity-toity brands... and over-priced eating places that aren't as good as those in the real world. That some chefs are narrowing that gap is nice to know but cold comfort so far.

I would also add that I don't plan trips so that I have enough time in a terminal for a sit-down meal. A terminal is not a roadside tavern! It's a bus station for fancy buses.

I would also add that I don't plan trips so that I have enough time in a terminal for a sit-down meal..

Me neither, but when you're stuck making connections or arriving early enough to buffer in case of security line chaos then it's nice to have 'real' food options and not be stuck with fast food poison that will only make the already-annoying travel experience even worse on your body.

I would also add that I don't plan trips so that I have enough time in a terminal for a sit-down meal..

Me neither, but when you're stuck making connections or arriving early enough to buffer in case of security line chaos then it's nice to have 'real' food options and not be stuck with fast food poison that will only make the already-annoying travel experience even worse on your body.

You don't have to eat fast food, not even at the bad little airports. I haven't eaten McDo in 20 years. There is always a place that sells fruit or yogurt or a turkey sandwich, etc.

[Jenise]

Me neither, but when you're stuck making connections or arriving early enough to buffer in case of security line chaos then it's nice to have 'real' food options and not be stuck with fast food poison that will only make the already-annoying travel experience even worse on your body.

I'm totally with you on this. And though Jeff is right about there (usually) being a few healthier options, an overripe $3 banana or a turkey sandwich pre-slathered with mayo isn't an acceptable alternative for some of us.

We actually some very good cooked-to-order Chinese lettuce wraps at Las Vegas recently. But the line to place an order was very long and slow, in part because other travellers already knew it was good and in part because the only alternative in that terminal was a sit-down where the food wait was estimated to be "45 minutes minimum" (we checked). Point is, it's not just the food quality that's a problem (and I'm talking food that would qualify as merely 'decent' as compared to the real world, as Jeff put it so well), it's usually the sheer paucity of options of any material kind that's the problem. Or the fact that all the options are nearly the same--lots of places to eat at Atlanta, but they're all fried food....

You don't have to eat fast food, not even at the bad little airports. I haven't eaten McDo in 20 years. There is always a place that sells fruit or yogurt or a turkey sandwich, etc.

Umm, fruit, yogurt and sandwiches are all 'fast food' for me, even if better than deep fried stuff. I get what you're saying that there is also improvement in the snack options, another trend I support. But I feel so much better after a nice dinner with fish, rice and vegetables than with some doughy sandwich.